DC's NEW 52: G. I. COMBAT #1

I found myself very excited when DC announced that G.I. COMBAT would be part of the second wave of titles for the NEW 52. I grew up during the era of the Vietnam War when, surprisingly enough, war comics were a hot property. Between SGT. FURY, STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES, OUR FIGHTING FORCES, OUR ARMY AT WAR, WEIRD WAR TALES, and G.I. COMBAT, the shelves were filled with hard hitting war drama. G.I. COMBAT featured some of my favorite war stories including Jeb Stuart and The Haunted Tank and The Losers. This incarnation features neither. The fourteen-page lead story is THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT, which originally ran in STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES and WEIRD WAR TALES. The fourteen page back-up tale features THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, who originally appeared in OUR ARMY AT WAR and then STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES.

The original WAR THAT TIME FORGOT was set in World War II and took place on Dinosaur Island. Located somewhere in the South Pacific, it was populated by dinosaurs and creatures from the Prehistoric Era. It also featured early appearances of G.I. Robot and The Suicide Squad. This version is set in modern times and features a mission to North Korea. But before the troops can get there, Pterodactyls that bring the helicopters to the ground attack them. Only two soldiers survive the attack. But apparently there are others. And when they peer through the clearing, they see Russian soldiers being attack by dinosaurs.

J. T. Krul provides the story, what little there is of it. Now, I do not want to slam Mr. Krul, but I think I may be about to do that. Why? Well, outside of the fact that this story, if you can call it that, is a festering pile of poop, I have previously beat him down for his feeble work on CAPTAIN ATOM. The only thing that saves this tale is Ariel Olivetti’s beautifully painted art. I could almost want to buy this book JUST for that. But that would only be if I had an unlimited expense account. The story is REALLY sparse and just not interesting. Maybe down the road we will get a comprehensive NEW 52 origin for Dinosaur Island. Maybe then, I will have an urge to read this again. Maybe not.

The classic Unknown Soldier was a United States intelligence agent during World War II. Here was this severely disfigured heavy bandaged master of disguise working his way through the enemy with great success. And having Robert Kannigher and Joe Kubert responsible for your story can’t hurt.

This new version sure could use that help.

The new Soldier’s tale is set in modern day Afghanistan and tells the tale of this disfigured killing machine. The back-story we get is that in 2005, the Soldier’s family was killed in a subway bombing in London. Severely affected by it all, he ends up embedded with a unit in Afghanistan and they are wiped out. But not our hero who, despite being severely disfigured by it all, takes out the enemy. Before the tale is through, Uncle Sam, knowing a good “suicidal murder machine” when it sees it, recruits him to do their dirty work for them.

Wow! I thought the first story was bad but this one make THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT look like it should be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti turn out a boring tale about a soldier with a traumatized past and no possible future. The whole concept of the “suicidal murder machine” is not original and gets utilized so much better in the form of The Punisher. The classic soldier was a mystery man serving his country. Are we trying to be told that this version represents the current soldier who is seeking revenge as opposed to defending the honor of his country? If so, then I think mots veterans should be insulted. Maybe it’s just me…

So add this horrible story to Dan Panosian’s less than exciting art and you get another disastrous DC war comic that falls flat on it’s face and backside at the dame time. STOP IT! You ruined BLACKHAWKS and totally made a mess of the “new” Sgt. Rock. Now this. Stick to what you think you know, guys: superheroes.

BTW: Our old friend the mysterious woman is back. We now know she is Pandora(yes...that Pandora) and she appears in the Unknown Soldier tale, while the civilian soldier is in London with his family.